Tinnitus

More than 12000 Singaporeans aged 60 and above said they hear "ringing in the ear", the Ministry of Health said in response to a parliamentary question.

“But the tinnitus in itself doesn't affect me that badly, which is why I never really took notice of it,” he said. The main strategy is “masking” therapy, where an ambient sound is introduced to override tinnitus. Tinnitus linked to age-related hearing loss may also be on the rise given Singapore’s greying population, said Dr Zhao. These patients may have had tinnitus for years, but only noticed it when working in a quiet environment at home, she said. “I’m actually a very happy-go-lucky kind of person that, you know, always talks and laughs. It was like hearing someone tap on a microphone randomly at any time of the day. “When you’re doing work and you’re reading emails ... “Patients who have habituated may not be aware of the tinnitus being present unless they actively pay attention and listen out for it,” he said. Dr Zhao said hearing aids can help patients with both hearing loss and tinnitus, and white noise such as a fan or static television sounds can counter the sound of tinnitus as well. then you also have to think, and this thing suddenly (pops up). “Patients who are bothered by their tinnitus also tend to experience a feeling of hopelessness as they may be told or read online that ‘there is no cure’ for tinnitus,” she said. “It can result in reduced quality of life, insomnia, anxiety and depression if patients are unable to cope with (or) get used to the tinnitus,” said Dr Zhao, who specialises in otorhinolaryngology, the surgical and medical management of ENT conditions.